France versus England: Pride at stake in summer of Pétanque

This is no game....

Pétanque is a serious business.  I learned this when we got together a scratch game after a barbecue at a neighbours house.  My 6 year old son had thrown superbly/or fluked, but there was doubt that he was closest to the jack.  In any other game, the adult would concede the point, laugh raucously and ruffle the hair of the youngster.  My neighbour fetched the measuring tape....

I've had experience of Pétanque before of course.  Played 4, lost 4.  We lost to some elderly gentlemen, some schoolboys, a father/son combo, and two women.  The winners made off with some live pigeons, and I had to settle for an over-sized t-shirt.  This year would be different.

Sport is sport after all, and I am a sore loser.  This year I had teamed up with Didier (or Tin-Tin in reference to some hair he once had), and we were brimming with confidence.  Like an old pro, Tin-Tin brought along scratched and rusting boules transported in an old footy sock.  Me, I took three of our own ‘beach' boules (Boules de Mer) which looked far too shiny, and had me marked out as a novice.

The rules....

This year the format would be the same.  Teams of two playing four matches, and first to 13 points wins.  For the un-initiated, the object of the game is to stand feet together and lob a metal ball at the ‘jack', which would normally be 6m to 10m away.  Each person throws 3 boules each, and the number of points gained depends on how many of the winning teams boules are closest to the jack.  In theory it is possible to take 6 points from one ‘end' if all of your attempts are closer than the nearest opposition ball. 

The game is further complicated by tactics.  I had been given the job of ‘Point', which is an honour that seems to be given to the worst players.  Effectively, the pointer plays first and attempts to get close to the jack, so that the opposition uses up their boules trying to get closer.  A good throw from the Point will mean that the opposition uses up all of their chances, leaving you loads of shots to increase the score.  The ‘Shooter' is someone who is accurate at removing an obstructing boule by throwing straight at it (‘tire le ball').  This description must be fairly loose, given Didier's habit of clearing the court without making contact with anything.

The results....

We narrowly beat a husband/wife team in the first, and my form was, well, erratic.  Second game was a 13-12 thriller against a young couple.  There were muted giggles from onlookers as I was humbled by my opposite ‘Point', a young lady aided and abetted by Lady Luck.  We lost.  Game 3, and we were thrashed by the grinning baker and his smug-looking friend, which left game 4.

A 10 year old boy and his inebriated grandfather stepped up.  I gave Tin-Tin a confident wink that said we were about to break even.  The ten-year old played with maturity and had some terrific shots in his locker, and the grandfather's aim seemed enhanced by the jug of rouge he'd imbibed during the lunchtime repas.  This was no push-over, but we eventually nicked it.  Won 2, Lost 2.

As the only Englishman taking part, I felt both pride and shame in equal measure.  I desperately wanted to win the lot, but was let down by some inconveniently placed stones on the pitch, the strong sunshine, a sore arm, my team mate, the boules, luck.......etc etc.

Has anyone managed to win at Pétanque this summer?  Or was it a whitewash for us Brits?  Tell us about your experience.